Port Louis Travel Guide, Mauritius

Port Louis, Mauritius - Overview

It would not be an exaggeration if we were to say that the emerald green island nation of Mauritius, gleaming like a bright jewel amidst the turquoise waters of the south West Indian Ocean is paradise on water! The republic of Mauritius situated approximately 900 km towards the east of Madagascar is neighbor to the Mascarene Islands.

Port Louis used to be a French and British colony and was established by the French colonizers to conduct trade and commerce. Slavery in this Mauritian headquarter was prevalent among these white skinned colonizers. After the abolition of slavery, large scale immigration of Indian and Chinese workers took place and these Asian laborers were brought in to till the land, produce rum and cultivate sugarcane.

French control over Port Louis was surrendered to the British in 1810 and in 1965 Chagos Archipelago was broken away from Mauritius by United Kingdom. Mauritius and along with it, the administrative headquarter Port Louis gained independence from Dutch, French and British control in 1968 and 1992 witnessed the transformation of the island nation in to a commonwealth republic.

Port Louis officially became known as the capital city of this visually stunning nation with the highest per capita incomes in the continent of Africa.

If unconfirmed reports are to be believed, other races apart from French and British colonizers, who had set their feet on Port Louis, are the Arabian and Malaysian sailors far back in the tenth century; the Portuguese explorers in 1505 and the Dutch in the 17th century. But the preponderance of harsh cyclones and inclement weather conditions made them abandon their permanent settlement some decades after 1638.

All these historical causes will explain the prominence of Port Louis’ predominantly multicultural population. At least 75% of the population in the capital city has Indian roots and belong both to the Islamic and Hindu faith. The roots of the minority sections can be traced back to China, Africa and Eurasia.

Port Louis, surrounded by a beautiful mountain range on most sides and boasting of a rich flora and fauna in the natural landscapes enveloping it, was home to the now extinct DODO bird - its only native habitat.

Port Louis is a busy bustling modern city with tall skyscrapers and a financial/business hub buzzing with activity, progress and commerce. From a distance the city, nestled in the laps of the Moka Range and rolling down into the azure waters of the Indian ocean, looks as beautiful and perfect as a picture postcard with the crisp sunny sky blending into the blue waters in the distant horizon.